The present invention relates to a system for providing electrical and fluid utilities to a cabinet, such as a refrigerator cabinet, in which a single extruded or molded ribbon-like cable integrally includes both electrical and fluid conduits to which modules can be coupled for receiving utilities therefrom.
New refrigeration designs are incorporating flexibility for the consumer in selecting different features. Some of the features include, for example, module components such as disclosed in patent application Ser. No. 12/402,559 entitled VACUUM FOOD PRESERVATION SYSTEM; Ser. No. 12/402,747 entitled CHILLING AND THAWING MODULAR APPLIANCE SYSTEM; and Ser. No. 12/402,731 entitled MODULAR DOOR MOUNTED CLIMATE CONTROLLED MEDICINE COMPARTMENT, all of which were filed on Mar. 12, 2009, which require utilities in the form of electrical operating power, data signals, fluids in either liquid or gaseous form, or the like, for their operation. The disclosures of these applications are incorporated herein by reference. U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12/402,644, filed Mar. 12, 2009, entitled REFRIGERATOR WITH MODULE RECEIVING CONDUITS discloses a modular system in which utilities are supplied by separate fluid and electrical conduits which are molded into the refrigerator cabinet and which have specific outlets at discreet locations to allow modules to be installed therein at incremental locations where such outlets exist. The disclosure of this application is incorporated herein by reference.
A mounting system for providing a continuous mounting spine for selective positioning modules anywhere along the spine is disclosed in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12/469,915, filed May 21, 2009, entitled REFRIGERATOR MODULE MOUNTING SYSTEM, which is assigned to the present assignee, and the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference.
In order to provide even greater flexibility for the mounting of modules requiring operating utilities, it would be desirable to allow the manufacturer or dealer to provide the consumer with the flexibility of selecting a module location at any desired position within the interior cabinet of a refrigerator/freezer.